Reversible latch.



m. 632 294. Patented Sept. 5, |s 99 H. a. VOIGHT. I

REVERSIBLE LATCH.

(Application filed Mar. 25, 1899.)

(No Model.)

Hillih 7 i v X p v I lmllll-llllllll' llllli ZM' /7555f'5 M 17 1 5/75 Henr -9004 221 f7 J We UNrrE STATES PATENT FFIcE.

HENRY G. VOIGI-IT, OF NEWV BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE RUSSELL & ERWIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

REVERSIBLE LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,294, dated September 5, 1899.

Application filed March 25, 1899.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY G. VOIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing in New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reversible Latches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in reversible latches; and the objects of my improvement are simplicity and economy in construction and convenience and efficiency in use.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of my latch with the capplate removed. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View of the upper part thereof on the line a; x of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detached front view of the latch-bolt lever.

C designates the latch-case, and D the cap.

The latch-hub A, its arm 4, the lever 5, againstwhich the arm 4 bears, and the main portion of the latch-bolt lever 6 are all old, as shown in my Patent No. 602,886, dated April 26, 1898, and other known means for operating the latch-bolt may be substituted therefor as an equivalent. The lock-bolt B and connected mechanism are also old and do not constitute a part of my present inven tion.

The latch-bolt B has a plate-like body 7,

provided near its inner end with two oppositely-projecting pins or studs 8, which I prefer to form of one piece of wire extending through a properly countersunk hole in the said latch-bolt body and doubly upset to form the holding-flanges 9, as shown at Fig. 2.

The latch-bolt lever 6 (shown separately in Fig. 3) is in the main old, but its upper end has hcretoforebeen provided with a pin,

Serial No. 710,527. (No model.)

whereas I now form said end with a hole or eye 10, Figs. 2 and 3, for receiving either one of the pins or studs 8. The distance from the outer end of one stud to the outer end of the other stud is about equal to the distance between the lock-case plates-that is,between the broad side of the case C and the cap D.

I consider that it is unnecessary to further describe the other parts of the latch.

By taking off the cap D and lifting the tail end of the latch-bolt to Withdraw the stud 8 from the eye 10 of the latch-bolt lever 6, then removing said latch-bolt, turning it over for reversal, and upon returning it to place insert the other one of the studs 8 in the eye 10, then replace the cap and the latch is reversed. The ends of the studs 8 bear upon the lock-case plates and form a guide for that end of the latch-bolt, whereby no special guides are required either on the latch-case or the body of the latch. At the same time the construction is inexpensive, the latch-bolt is convenient to handle, and its utility is equal to the more expensive constructions heretofore employed in latches of this class.

I claim as my invention The combination of the latch-bolt lever having an eye for connecting it with the latchbolt, mechanism for operating said lever, and the latch-bolt, having a plate-like body and the studs 8, 8, on opposite sides near the tail end of said body for alternatively engaging the eye of the said lever, substantially as described.

HENRY G. VOIGI-IT.

Witnesses:

M. S. WIARD, P. H. BRoNsoN. 

